Staple driving machine



Dec. 6, 1938. f WHEELER 2,139,342

STAPLE'DRIVING MACHINE Filed July 3l, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYSl Dec. 6,- 1938. n L. L, WHEELER 2,139,342

STAPLE DRIVING MACHINE `Filed July 3l, 1957 Z Sheets-Shee 2 ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED PATENT OFFICE STAPLE DRIVING MACHINE Lester L.` Wheeler, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to The E. H. Hotchkiss Company, Norwalk, Conn., a` corporation ofy Connecticut Application July` 31, 1937, Serial No. 156,710.`

'7 Claims. (Cl. 1-3) This invention relatesvtoA a staple driving ma` velopment of an entirely new set of tools and new chine particularly of ther desk type, and has for staple driving and setting mechanism, and coman objectto providean improved construction of bining therewith. a mounting comprisingl anonthis type of machine which will have a` greatly metallic ornamental enclosing casing or housing 5;, improved appearance over machines now availwhich may be used in attractive natural colors :5.` able, and therefore will greatlyimprove thev aptO greatly enhance the appearance f the devieef pearance of the deskionwhich it is used, and will and at the same time will not. corrode and is rustenclose the staple driving, mechanism so as to proof so as to maintain its attractive appearance protect it from injury vbyl dust, dirt and other indefinitely, and will enclose and protect the lo means. metal parts of the operating mechanism to reduce 10 With the foregoing andother objects in viewI liebilitx7 0f beCOming clogged With dilSt 0r dirt have `devisedanovel construction; an embodiment and Will prOteCt them in Other WSNS WhereblT e of Whichisshown inthe accompanying drawings greatly imprOVed `del/lee iS Securedforming a part of this specification. Itis, how- In the accompanying drawings iS ShOWn One l. ever, to be understood that4 variousmodications embodiment in which the staple driving mechal5 and: changes may be made in the device within nism isof an old type, this mechanism being sub-` the scope of the invention and it is not necessary Stantalll that ShOWn in the patents t0 POlZer to limit the 'device tothefspecic details-shown. 1,983,397 andV 2,028,350. It4 comprises a support In the drawings: Ill in the form ofV a frame or inner housing in- 2()` Fig, 1 is a, partial side elevation and partial Cludillg a, lOWeralm Il OflSllbStalltlally. U-Shaped 2O` section of the device showing the" improved concross section in which is mounted a bar IZhaving struction; ananvil l3 The bar may be secured in the arm Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereofT with a` porby suitable screws I2a. This support lll is mounttion1of the outer casing orhousing broken away; ed on a base 33 in a manner later described. 25, Fig. 3:'isfarear endview with1 a portion broken Mounted Within the SuppOrt member l0 iS en .25

away to more clearly show thell construction; inner member l4-piv0ted tothe Suppert etl5, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section substantially'online this member carries at its forward end a guide 4 4 of Fig. l;` way lea for. a reciprocating plunger I6- adapted Fig. 5 is aV rear end View showing aslight when depressed to move staples one at a time 30, modification; from the forward endY of a staple strip H. on a Fig. 6 is a longitudinal verticalsection ofthe Suitable guide bar I3 elOng Which the Strip iS forward portion of the device on an enlarged fed by affOllOWer |9ithr0ilghe-Sprngl2il Operatscale showing the l elementsv inthe normali'. posi ing One` guide rOd 2 The plunger iS Operated by tion; and means of a` lever 22 pivoted in the support lll at Fig. 7 is asimilar section showing` theelements- 23 and having en eXteIlSiOnA 24 et tS fOrWerd end 35 inV the-position they occupy afteroperationtoset passing thrOUgh'en-Opening inthe plunger Wherea` staple. by when the forward end of the lever is depressed Staple driving machinesof'-v the-desk. type used the plunger iS` depressed t0 drive the Staplefor securingtogether papers-andsimilar elements PiVOted t0 the OppOSite endY 0f the lever 22 by e 4o. usually comprise means for drivingL and setting pin and slot connection-25 is another lever 26 piv- 40 substantially U-shaped staplesi and` include an oted to the support at 21. and at the Opposite Side anvil with. which cooperates a reciprocatingv of` this pivotis a spring 28 tending to force the plunger which drivesthe staples through the rear end of the lever 26 upwardly and therefore articles to `be connected and. with the anvill folds depreSS `the left hand'end 0f the lever 22 end reise is the prongs thereof` toy clinch the staple, means: theforward end of the lever 22 with the plunger 4.- being provideclto feedthe-staples in succession to to the upper 0r full line pOSitiOn 0f Figl, thiS` a driving positionunder the plunger. and anhand upward InOVeinent being limited by e Suitable operatedknobior. operating`vthe plunger. rlhere stop 29. The lower end of the spring 23 S Seated are severaltypes of thesedevices, at thepresent in-a socketed member 30fwhich has a rounded or sof tlmethe deektypebeingmadeof metaland of such tapered lower end 3l seatedin a recess in the topV 50 shape and construction that the opportunities for wall of the pivoted member lll;Y This socket is loimproving their appearance has been very limited. cated slightly infront of the pivot l5 so that the I have deviseda construction whereby the usual first effect of pressing downwardly the forward type ofmechanism may be used for driving and end of the lever 22 is to permit the member I4 to setting the: staples, thusnot requiring the deturnabout its pivot I5-under. action` of spring 28 55 and allow the forward end I 4a to move downwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. l and the full line position of Fig. '7 and rest on top of any work or articles to be stapled which may have been placed over the anvil I3. After this member reaches this position further downward movement of lever 22 causes the plunger I6 to move downward in the guideway Ia and drive the staple in the usual manner through the work and against the anvil to clinch it. When pressure on the forward end of lever 22 is removed the spring 28 returns the parts to the normal or full line position of Figs. l and 6. Backward movement of member I4 is limited by stop member 4'I. The support or inner housing I with its arm I I remains stationary relative to the base during the staple driving operation.

The support I0 is enclosed in a housing 32 which may be in a single piece or may comprise more than one section and which is mounted on the base 33 and is stationary on this base. This base in the construction shown has a longitudinal recess 34 in its upper wall in which the arm II is seated and secured by any suitable means such as screws 35 passing through the base and threaded into the bar I2. The bar I2 is usually secured in the arm II by other screws |20.. Thusthe staplek driving mechanism including the support I0 and mechanism mounted thereby is assembled as a unit and mounted as such on the base. The housing 32 is a non-,metallic ornamental housing and is preferably made of a plastic material which is rustproof and will not corrode and can be supplied in beautiful natural colors which are maintained indefinitely. A material which I have found to be Very satisfactory for this purpose is a synthetic resin known on the market as Catalin, and other similar materials may be employed. This material can be formed into the housing in different ways as by molding, forming, etc., and it is so shaped as to give a neat and attractive appearance. It is hollowed out on the inside to form a chamber 36 to receive the support IU and the various elements or mechanism carried thereby and to enclose the same, this housing being mounted on the base 33 and being secured thereto by any suitable means such for example as theV screws 31, although other securing means may be employed if desired.

It will be seen from Fig. l that the forward lower end of this housing is cut away at 38 topermit insertion of the articles to be stapled between the anvil I3 and the plunger. Means is also provided for operating the stapling mechanism from outside the housing 32. For this purpose the front end of the housing is provided with an upright slet 39 and the operating lever 22 is provided with an extension 40 projecting through this slot 39. Secured to the outer end of this extension 4U is a finger piece 4| which may be of the same material as the housing 32 or any other suitable material, and it may be colored to harmonize with the color of the housing 32 to improve the appearance of this device. In operating the device the operator merely depresses the finger piece 4I as indicated by the dotted Vlines Fig. 1, and thus operates the stapling mechanism. The base 33 is preferably of the same material as the housing 32 although it may be of different materials as desired, and it may be of the same or different color to harmonize with the housing 32.

In the stapling device shown the rear end of the rod 2I is curved upwardly as shown at 42 and provided with a hooked end 43 passing through an opening in the top wall of member I4. In supplying a staple strip to the machine on the guide bar I8 this rod is unhooked from the member I4 and then withdrawn through the rear of the machine to remove the follower I9 from the guide bar I8, after which a staple strip may be slid onto' the guide bar at the rear end thereof, and then the follower can be replaced and the hooked end 43 inserted in the opening in the member I4 to thus compress the spring 20 so that it will urge the follower and the staple strip forwardly to feed the staples successively to the stapling position. Various arrangements may be provided to permit access to this rear end portion 42 of the rod to permit insertion of the new staple strip. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the rear end portion of the housing 32 is provided as a separate piece or section 32a, the two sections being separated as indicated by the line44. This section is detachably mounted either on the base or connected to the housing so as to be easily removed to give access tol the member 42 and the rear end of the guide bar I8. It may be secured by any suitable means, but in the present case pins 45 are mounted on the base 33 and project into suitable openings in the section 32a and removably retain it in position by frictional engagement therewith. If, however, it is preferred that the housing be made in one piece it can be detachably connected with the base so as tol permit ready removal to give access to the stapling mechanism and permit insertion of a new strip of staples, or if preferred Jthis housing may be provided with an opening 46 in the rear end portion as indicated in Fig. tohpermit access to the member 42 and the rear end of the guide bar I8.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the staple driving mechanism is assembled as a unit assembly including all the necessary elements for driving and setting the staples, and therefore can be of various types of construction, and that this unit assembly after being separately assembled and tested is mounted as a unit on the base 33. Then it is enclosed within the housing 32 which is an ornamental non-metallic housing and preferably of a plastic material in natural colors, and may be shaped to give an attractive and artistic appearance. This material will not corrode or rust and it will therefore retain its color and attractive appearance indefinitely, and as it encloses the staple driving mechanism it will protect this mechanism from dirt, dust, moisture, etc., as well as other injury, and will not only give a much more attractive article and one which has a greatly improved appearance, but will also give a better article in which the mechanism is so protected that it will function more effectively for an indefinite period and still can be very easily operated by merely depressing the nger piece 4I at the outside of the housing. By making the device as described the housing and base may be in one color or in different colors and the housing itself can be in one color or different colors thus greatly increasing the possible variations in the appearance of the device, and it can be made to harmonize with the home or oiiice furnishings or the other articles on the desk. It can also be made in different shapes or designs to harmonize with any desired design or shapes of other articles on the desk or with which it is to be associated.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

Y l. A staple driving machine comprising a base, a staple driving and setting mechanism comprising asa unit a support, an anvil and a movable plunger'cooperating with the anvil to set the staple and mounted in the support, means for mounting said support and mechanism on the base as an assembled unit, a housing enclosing said support and mechanism and mounted on the base, means for operating said mechanism eX- tending to the outside of the housing, and a nger piece on said means for operating the same.

2. A desk staple driving machine comprising a unit assembly including a support, an anvil, a movable plunger mounted with the support and adapted to cooperate with the anvil to set the staples and means for operating the plunger, a mounting for said unit assembly including a base, a housing enclosing said unit assembly, and a movable iinger piece operable from outside the latter housing connected with the plunger operating means.

3. A desk staple driving machine comprising a unit assembly including a support, staple driving mechanism including an anvil, a movable plunger cooperating with the anvil for setting the staples, means for feeding staples to the driving position, and means for operating the plunger, a housing composed of non-metallic material enclosing said unit assembly, and a finger piece operable from outside the housing connected to the plunger operating means.

4. A desk staple driving machine comprising a support, an anvil mounted in the support, a movable plunger carried by the support and cooperating with the anvil to set the staples, means carried by the support for feeding the staples to driving position, a lever mounted on the support for operating the plunger, a mounting means for the support comprising a base and means for securing the support to the base, a housing composed oi non-metallic material enclosing the support, and a nger piece outside the housing connected to the lever for operating it.

5. A desk staple driving machine comprising a support, staple driving and setting mechanism mounted in said support, a mounting for the support comprising a base, means for mounting the support on the base, a housing composed of nonmetallic material mounted on the base and enclosing said support, and a movable nger piece outside the housing and connected with said mechanism for operating it.

6. A desk staple driving machine comprising a support, staple driving and setting mechanism mounted in said support including an operating lever, a mounting for the support comprising a base, means for mounting the support on the base, a housing composed of non-metallic material mounted on the base and enclosing said support, said housing having an upright slot in its front end Wall, an operating finger piece at the front of the housing, and an extension from the lever passing through said slot and connected to said finger piece.

7. A staple driving machine comprising a support having an arm, an anvil mounted in said arm, mechanism mounted in said support cooperating with said anvil for setting the staples includng a movable plunger, means for feeding staples to the driving position under the plunger and a lever for operating the plunger, means for mounting said support comprising a base having a recess in its upper Wall, means for mounting said arm in the recess with the anvil substantially in the plane of the top of the base, a housing mounted on the base and enclosing said support, said housing having an upright slot in its front end Wall, a finger piece outside the housing, and an extension from said lever passing through the slot and connected with the finger piece for operating the lever.

LESTER L. WHEELER. 

